Page 17 of Fit for Love
I found a flat section of rock where we could sit down, and pulled out a blanket, spreading it out on the floor. Anchoring each of the corners in place with a stone, I sat down and gestured for her to do the same. Cora sat cross-legged opposite me, reflecting the poses we’d had in the first training session we’d done together.
“Are you ready for lunch?”
“I’m intrigued…you seem to have bought enough for a small army.”
I shrugged. “What can I say? I get hungry after exercise.”
Cora reached into the bag and found the boxes from the farm shop. She opened each of them, her eyes widening at the contents of each of them.
“All of this is vegan?” she asked.
“Except this!” I waved the bag containing the sliced meats. “It’s gluten-free too. I figured if we are going to be spending some time together, then I ought to at least find out what all the fuss is about.” I took the box from her and popped one of the sweet-potato-and-quinoa falafels into my mouth. It actually didn’t taste half-bad.
As we ate, I gently brought the subject back around to us. I wanted to know why she’d blanked me so much after our first session.
“You’re still enjoying training with me?”
“Of course.” Cora nodded. “You’re much nicer than my previous trainer.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“And this was a good idea?” I swept my arm around, pointing at the view.
“It was. It doesn’t feel much like a date though.”
Her words hit me like a punch in the chest. Here I was, thinking I was bringing her to a romantic place, having an intimate picnic, but apparently it wasn’t a date.
“What should a date feel like then?” I challenged.
Cora narrowed her eyes, as if deep in thought. “There should be butterflies…”
I glanced around, searching for the insects she mentioned. Then I realised what she meant. I shifted closer to her, my nose millimetres from hers.
“How about now?” I asked.
“Mmm, maybe a couple.”
Hoping I hadn’t got it wrong, I leaned in and met her lips, softly at first and then more insistently, kissing her tenderly.
She sighed against me, and I knew exactly what she meant about butterflies.
Chapter Ten
Cora
I closed my eyes and succumbed to Ethan’s kiss. Maybe I had been wrong to keep him at a distance. Through our training sessions and now today’s date, he had shown himself to be the total opposite of Orlando. But I was wary of trusting someone again. After all, Orlando had strung me along for the whole time we were together and I had no idea of the double life he was leading. For all I knew, Ethan was seeing Betsey, Martha and the rest of Westbourne Water’s female population when he claimed to be working. Deep down, I knew that I was being unreasonable. He was working hard to get the money for his next trip.
The thought of him going away made me pull back. There was no point in getting involved with someone who wasn’t going to be around.
“Hey, what’s up?” Ethan’s green eyes clouded over.
It was too soon to tell him what I was really thinking, so I found another excuse.
“Orlando.”
“Why on earth are you thinking of him while I’m kissing you?”
“Maybe it’s too soon after everything that happened with him. I mean, I shouldn’t be moving on so soon.”
